


The Death of Hope

by Daiya_Darko



Category: The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Emotional Abuse, M/M, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 12:39:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daiya_Darko/pseuds/Daiya_Darko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So if you love me let me go, and run away before I know. My heart is just too dark to care; I can't destroy what isn't there. Deliver me into my fate, if I'm alone I cannot hate. I don't deserve to have you...My smile was taken long ago; If I can change I hope I never know." - Slipknot</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Death of Hope

_“Wanna know a secret?”_

_Bruce rolls over and raises his eyebrows. He’s so close to falling asleep, but it’s always hard to fall asleep around Peter. The young man is so full of exuberance that Bruce can’t help but feel some of that energy seep into him._

_“What’s that?”_

_“You’re not as scary as you think you are. No one’s really afraid of you; they only pretend because you seem more comfortable believing that.”_

_Bruce is caught off guard. He was expecting something…more juvenile. He didn’t expect a psychological analysis of his behavior or the behaviors of others._

_“Did you change your major without mentioning it?” Bruce smiles when Peter snorts in response, and kisses his nose. “I’m about to fall asleep on you, Peter. I’m an old man; I have no energy for these slumber parties anymore.”_

_Peter shrugs. “Fair enough. It’s almost five in the morning.”_

_“And you’re not tired?”_

_“Do superheroes seriously follow sleep patterns of the common folk?”_

_“I don’t know if anyone sent you the memo, but everyone over 40 calls it a night around two.”_

_“What about Thor?”_

_“I have no clue how old he is. You should ask him.”_

_Peter sits up and pokes Bruce in the shoulder sharply. “Hey, that sounded like an admission of ignorance. You owe me twenty bucks.”_

_Bruce rubs his forehead and groans. “I’ll be sure to call the state park and see if we can get you a hunting license.” He smiles at the response of quiet laughter and brings Peter’s hand to his lips for a kiss._

_“Now go to sleep. We both have things to do tomorrow.”_

_“Including each other, right?”_

_“I’ll have to take a rain check.”_

_“You’re lying straight through your teeth.”_

_Bruce shrugs, smiling. “I’m not going to admit or deny that one. I’ll let you think over it while I sleep.”_

Bruce finds himself wishing he could go back to times like those, times where he didn’t worry about things such as the future and all the possible worst-case scenarios. Instead, he’s standing in front of a red-faced Peter Parker, who looks like he’s trying his hardest to resist crying.

“Bruce, you can’t do this,” Peter pleads, and Bruce can feel his heart constricting painfully.

“I can. In fact, I’m doing it right now.” Bruce inhales slowly, trying to remain calm. He doesn’t want to do this, but as the only real adult in the relationship, he knows he has to think when Peter refuses to.

“Do you remember the last time we fought?” Bruce asks, and he bites his tongue in anticipation of the answer.

Peter looks around helplessly and lets his shoulders drop. “We’ve never fought. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“That’s the problem! You don’t see anything wrong and you’re not trying to change things!” Bruce doesn’t mean to raise his voice, but he can feel the last bands of self-control snap as emotion overcomes him. “You don’t see the problem with being with me, you don’t see the dangers and risks. You’re infatuated; you’re like a schoolgirl with a crush.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it!” Peter yells, and his voice cracks. Bruce can see him trembling, not with rage, but hurt and fear. It sickens him to know he’s the cause of the tremors in Peter’s usually steady hands.

“Why don’t you just face it? I’m not the man you think I am. I will never be this fantasy you have conjured up in your head, and it’s best if we get out of this before I hurt you.” Bruce hears himself, but doesn’t believe a single word he says. He’s lying, but more so to protect than further hurt Peter. Bruce hasn’t outright insulted or physically abused Peter, but he knows the signs of unhealthy relationships better than most.

Bruce frequently lies to and manipulates Peter. Out of his own selfishness, he saw how Peter looked at him affectionately and decided to pursue it. For once, he wanted to control someone else, and as he saw the subtle ways Peter began changing, Bruce realized exactly what was happening.

That’s why he has to end this.

Peter is caring and giving and still so young and malleable. Everyone knows how hopeful Peter can be, but few know how cunning Bruce also can be, and therein lies the problem. Bruce will always take advantage of Peter, regardless of whether he intends to or not.

Bruce is trying to be the adult here, but all he wants is to wipe the tears from Peter’s cheek and hold him tightly.

“Why are you making things up just to make me stop loving you?” Peter chokes out, and it’s all Bruce can do to not start crying himself.

“I’m not lying to you, Peter. I will hurt you. I can promise that. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will, and you won’t even notice it. You won’t realize anything is wrong until one day you wake up bleeding on the floor, _if_ you wake up.”

Peter goes deathly still and sniffs. “You’d kill me?”

“Not intentionally, I hope.”

Peter is silent as he tries to think over what Bruce is saying. Bruce waits patiently, digging his fingers into his pulse and willing his heart rate to slow.

“You’ve kept a lot from me, I know. And I know you lie to me sometimes, but none of that matters. Bruce, we can work this out.”

“No, we can’t.”

Peter sighs and walks to the door. “You know, I still want to be your friend, right?”

Bruce lets out a sigh and nods. “Yes, we can still be friends.”

“Good. Well, I guess I’ll see you around some time.” Peter exits into the elevator without another word, and for a moment, Bruce forgets why he’s even upset. Then, he hears footsteps approaching from behind and he turns, surprised to see Tony.

“Did you hear everything just now?”

Tony nods and hands him a glass of scotch. “You did the right thing, Bruce. I was worried for him. I know how you can be.”

Bruce sips from the glass, savoring the cold burn. He looks up and tries not to wince at the fading bruise on Tony’s cheek.

“I’m sorry about that,” Bruce motions towards Tony’s face.

Tony shrugs. “Like I said: I know how you can be. You’ve got way too much baggage to be dating someone so young.”

“I’m not sure I should be dating anyone at all.”

“Oh come on, I’m sure all you need to do is find someone who knows how to take a hit. I hear Steve is on the market.”

Bruce shakes his head. “Tony, don’t joke like that. This is serious.”

“Right. Sorry.” Tony’s head drops, and he takes another sip. “Seriously, you need to get some help. Last week, I took the blow that you would have ended up giving Peter one of these days, and I’m not entirely sure you would have realized why that would be a problem.”

Bruce walks over and falls onto the couch tiredly. “I’m not entirely sure I would either. I’ve got bad blood, Tony, and I’m not just talking about gamma radiation.”

Tony follows and sits on the other end of the couch, pulling Bruce’s feet into his lap. He sets his glass on the table and begins rubbing at the tense muscles of Bruce’s feet.

“I know you do; I do too, and not just palladium poisoning. But we can work it out, just like these knots in your muscles. My god, Bruce. Have you ever had a foot massage?”

Bruce hums quietly and closes his eyes. “Once, in India. Much better than what you’re doing right now.” He jumps and smiles when Tony tickles his foot. “Thanks for not beating around the bush and telling me what a horrible person I am to date.”

“It only seems fair. I have Pepper to tell me these things; you have me. We’re friends, Bruce, and friends don’t let friends turn into abusive partners.”

“Do friends treat friends to hot stone treatments after having to confront such difficult emotions?”

“If you’re friends with me, the answer is yes, as well as a nice bottle of wine. Come on, I’ll have Happy get the car ready.”

Bruce sits up and watches as Tony walks away. Given time to himself, he cradles his head in his hands and allows himself a few sobs as the gravity of the situation settles in. He wants desperately to go after Peter, but knows this is for the best. When he hears Tony returning, Bruce wipes his face and stands.

“Let me grab my shoes and I’ll be ready to go,” Bruce says, and even as he starts to walk away, he can feel Tony’s eyes burning into the back of his skull, full of judgment and disappointment.

_I know, Tony. I’m ashamed of me too._


End file.
